Toe-clip for pedals



(No Model.)

s. J. PU.TN AM. TOE GLIP POR" PBDALS.

No. 000,170. Patented Mar. 8,1898.

WITNESSES dd 6km, 5%

SAMUEL J. PUTNAM, OF PRINCES BAY, NEW YORK.

TOE-CUP FOR PEDALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,170, dated March 8, 1898.

Application filed geptember 3, 1896. Serial No. 604,737. [No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL J. PUTNAM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Princes Bay, in the county of Richmond and State of New York, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Toe- Clips for the Pedals of Bicycles and Similar Vehicles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingapart thereof, in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts wherever found throughout the several views.

This invention relates to toe clips or holders for the pedals of bicycles and similar vehicles and the object thereof is to provide an improved device of this class which is pivoted in position and so formed that it is always held so that the toe can be inserted or passed beneath the clamp or holder without special effort and regardless of the position of the pedal when the foot is placed thereon.

It also has for its object to provide a toeclip pivoted intermediate of its ends above the foot, so that the foot presses upon the lower surface thereof, both in front and rear of its pivot, the one pressure thus balancing, so to speak, the other and permitting the clip to assume and hold a position to conform to the contour of the foot inserted therein, and this without the use of springs. This object I accomplish by means of, the construction described in the following specification, in which my invention is fully disclosed, and in which-- I Figure 1 is a side view of the pedal of a bicycle or similar Vehicle, showing my improved toe clip or holder and the method of the oper ation thereof; Fig. 2, a plan View of the pedal and the toe clip or holder, and Fig. 3 a front View of a yoke or frame which I employ as a part of the toe clip or holder.

In the drawings forming part of this specification I have shown at 5 an ordinary pedal such as is usually employed in connection with bicycles or similar vehicles, and this pedal consists of a central shaft or tube 6 and side plates 7, which are united with the ends of the shaft or tube 6 by end plates 8, a crankarm of the usual construction being inserted in the tube 6, as is well known.

To one of the sideplates 7 I secure ayokeshaped device 9, consisting of a base-plate 10, which is secured to the side of the pedal by bolts 11, provided with nuts or burs 12, and said base-plate is provided with outwardly, upwardly, and inwardly curved arms 13, which are formed integrally therewith, and the ends of said arms are projected to form parallel parts 14, which are connected by a shaft 15, and mounted centrally thereof is myimproved toe clip or holder proper, which consists of a plate of sheet metal or similar material bent into the form of a double ogee curve, as shown in Fig. 1. The toe clip or holder proper is designated by the referencenumeral 16, and the ends thereof are curved in opposite directions, as shown at 17, and said clip or holder proper is free to turn or swing on the shaft 15 and is held centrally thereof by central side portions 18, which are formed on said clip.

The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the following statement thereof.

The position of the clip when in use is shown in Fig. 1, said figure being also arepresentation of a portion of a foot in position upon the pedal, and in practice the clip .or holder, including the yoke-shaped support and the curved plate 16, will always be suspended from the pedal when not in use, the weight thereof turning the pedal so that the said clip or holder extends downwardly, and in mounting the vehicle all that is necessary is to place the toe on the pedal and turn it back and then insert the toe through the clip or holder, in which operation the toe will strike the outer downwardly-curved end of the plate 16 or the clip or holder proper, and it makes no difference in what position said curved plate 16 may be, the curve at each end thereof enabling the rider to always pass the toe of his foot beneath said pivoted plate and into the position shown in Fig. 1, and the inner end of the clip will rest on the central portion of the foot, as shown in said figure.

This device is simple in construction and operation and perfectly adapted to accomplish the result for which it is intended, and my invention is not limited to the form of the yoke shaped attachment 9 or to the means of connecting it with the pedal, and in Fig. 3 I have shown a modified form of the yokeshaped attachment in which the base-plate 10 thereof is divided transversely and the separate parts are provided with curved longitudinal slots 19, through which a bolt 11 is passed, the obj ect of this form of construction being to provide means for adjusting the size of said attachment or the space between the arms thereof, the curve of the slots 19 serving to facilitate the proper adjustment of the side arms 13 to the foot.

It will be noted that the toe passes between the pedal and the pivot-shaft 15, and the clip proper rests upon the foot both in front and in the rear of the said shaft, thus permitting it to assume a position on the shaft to accommodate the contour of top of the foot, the foot itself at the same time holding it firmly in such position.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination with a pedal of a bicycle, of a plate pivoted between its ends von an axis parallel with the axis of the pedal and at a distance above the same sufficient to permit the passage of the foot between the pedal and the pivotal point of the plate, whereby the plate engages the foot upon each side of its pivotal point and adapts itself to the contour of the foot, substantially as described.

2. A toe-clip for bicycles, comprising a shank portion adapted to be secured to the pedal, and a plate pivotally mounted on the shank portion to make a complete revolution on an axis substantially parallel with and to one side of the crank-arm carrying the pedal, substantially as described.

3. A toe-clip for bicycles, comprising in combination the bifurcated shank portion of the clip and a plate pivoted between its ends to and designed to revolve between the arms of the said shank portion, substantially as described.

4. The combination with the pedal of abicyele or similar vehicle, of a toe-clip secured to one side thereof, and consisting of a yokeshaped attachment having arms curved as herein described, and between the ends of which is pivoted a plate, the ends of which are bent or curved in opposite directions, substantially as shown and described.

5. Atoe clip or holder for the pedals of hicycles and similar vehicles, consisting of a yoke-shaped attachment, which is adapted to be secured to one side of the pedals, and which is provided with side arms which are curved as herein described, and between the outer ends of which is pivoted a plate, the ends of which are curved in opposite directions, substantially as shown and described.

6. A toe clip or holder for the pedals of bicycles and similar vehicles, consisting of a yoke-shaped attachment, which is adapted to be secured to one side of the pedals, and which is provided with side arms which are curved as herein described, and between the outer ends of which is pivoted a plate, the ends of which are curved in opposite directions, said plate being pivoted or mounted centrally on a shaft by which the ends of the arms of the yoke-shaped attachment are connected, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention 1 have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 26th day of August, 1896.

SAMUEL J PUTNAM.

Witnesses:

J ESSE G. WINANT, ARTHUR SHARP. 

